This invention relates to an ink jet wherein the ink employed within the jet is of the phase change type, which may be referred to as hot melt ink.
Phase change or hot melt ink of the type utilized in an ink jet is characteristically solid at room temperature. When heated, the ink will melt to a consistency so as to be jettable. A hot melt ink jet apparatus and method of operation are disclosed in copending application Ser. No. 610,627, filed May 16, 1984, which is assigned to the assignee of this invention. The hot melt ink may be jetted from a variety of apparatus including those disclosed in the aforesaid copending application.
A variety of techniques have been suggested for delivery of hot melt ink in a solid state to an ink jet apparatus. Copending application Ser. No. 660,656, filed 10/15/84, discloses the delivery of hot melt ink in granular form to a heated reservoir. The ink is then melted and supplied to one or more ink jets. The ink in granular form is delivered by means of an auger-like member, which advances the hot melt ink to a discharge position into the heated reservoir.